A Very Hunger Games Christmas
by Aphrodite-Venus-u.k
Summary: Katniss may have lived through the Hunger Games, but will she live through the Christmas season?


A Very Hunger Game Christmas

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Suzanne Collins. The underlined stuff is taken directly from the novel. I do not own anything.

Summary: After returning from the arena, Katniss doesn't feel like herself. With the holidays right around the corner, she puts on a happy face for the sake of her family. In the end, it's Prim and Peeta who bring out the holiday spirit in Katniss.

Time: Catching Fire

Genre: Drama and Friendship/Family

Date Finished: December 1, 2013

Rating: PG-13

Katniss threw the small game into the kitchen table. Today hadn't been a good hunting day. Most of the animals had gone into their winter hiding spots. She washed her hands in the sink; she still wasn't used to having running water in the house.

Sighing, she padded into the living room where she stopped in the doorway. Peeta, Prim, Gale, her mother, and Haymitch were all sitting on the floor surrounded by Christmas decorations.

"Um...What's going on here?" Katniss asked slowly.

Haymitch held up a ball of Christmas lights he was currently attempting to untang. "I need some help here, sweetheart."

Katniss rolled her eyes.

"It's Christmas!" Prim exclaimed. "We all really haven't had any time together since you got back."

Katniss's throat caught. _Since you got back._ She did have to admit that she had been rather distant since she returned from the arena. The arena changed her in ways that she didn't understand herself.

"Of course, Prim. I like the tree. It's just prefect. I just hope we have enough decorations for it." She put on a happy face for Prim's sake. Prim was innocent and deserved to have her sister back.

Prim beamed at Katniss.

Gale was eyeing Katniss. She knew that he doubted her happiness. However, he really didn't understand what she was going through. Only two people in this room did: Peeta and Haymitch.

Peeta gave Kaitness a weak smile as he approached her. "Come on, you can help me with the angels."

Katniss nodded and allowed Peeta to lead her across the room. She really wasn't in the Christmas spirit, but knew that she had to put up a front. The others could not know how much the arena actually changed her.

Peeta handed her the angels that had belonged to Katniss's great-grandmother. Every year, the family always displayed them on the fireplace mantel. Katniss could remember being little and her father lifting her up to put the angels in place. They reminded the Everdeens that they had made it through another year and offered hope for the next.

Katniss smiled at the little wooden angels. They were the one thing that hadn't changed in her world.

Peeta handed her another angel. "I think these are just beautiful."

Katniss nodded. "So do I." She had a feeling that he wasn't just talking about the angels.

Katniss saw her mother give them a small smile. Her mother rarely smiled these days and it was a nice change to see one.

On the far side of the room, Haymitch was having a wrestling match with the ball of Christmas lights. He was cursing them, but not making any real progress. Katniss knew that he would probably be able to separate them better if he wasn't so drunk. Prim took pity on him and went over to help.

Prim gathered the mound of tangled lights. With the flick of a finger, the tangled mess become Christmas lights that looked as if they had just been taken out of the box they come in. Prim handed the mound of lights to Haymitch, who gave her a look. "Here, put these on the tree and make them look good," she said in a jolly voice. "Make them look realgood."

Haymitch huffed. "What don't you do it?"  
Prim rolled her eyes. "I'm getting the other stuff out."

Haymitch muttered something that Katniss couldn't hear, but did what he was told.

Katniss looked back at the tree. It was a rather big tree and would need a lot of decorations and what not. It would also take a very long time. She knew that Prim would enjoy it. Haymitch, on the hand, would probably have a few words to say about.

"Do you want to put the angels up?" Peeta asked.

Katniss nodded. She pointed to the mantel. "We always put them over the fireplace."

Peeta went over to the mantel. Katniss followed him. Together they placed the angels on the mantel. Once the angles were up on top of the mantel, Katniss stood back and smiled at them. They looked so beautiful standing proud. Angels just had a way of lighting up the room.

Peeta put his arm around Katniss's waist. Katniss leaned into him.

Meanwhile, Prim and Haymitch began to work on the tree. Haymitch carried the lights over to the tree and began to swing them through the branches carefully. He knew that if he did not do it correctly the first time that Prim would make him undo it all and start all over. That was something he wished to avoid. There was probably a thousand or so lights to be put on!

Prim came up behind Haymitch and began to place glittery tinsel on the tree. Some of the glitter fell off the tree and into Haymitch's hair. Haymitch had to bit his tongue in order to prevent himself from saying something harsh and impolite.

Once all the lights and tinsel were on the tree, it was time to hang the ornaments. The Everdeens had ornaments ranging from Santa Claus, snowmen, and other normal Christmas decorations to objects that Haymitch was not even sure of what they were. There was one ornament that looked like a pickle and another that resembled an airship. Of course, most of the ornaments were covered in glitter.

Prim made sure that no branch was left without an ornament and that each ornament had a buddy. The girl feared that the ornaments would get lonely if there was none next to it.

Once the tree was completely decorated, Prim placed hands on her hips to admire their work. "I must say that this is the best Christmas tree in the world!"

Grumbling, Haymitch pulled a flask out of his pocket.

Katniss fought back a laugh. Though she did have to give Prim credit for not letting up on Haymitch.

Peeta looked at Katniss. "Now, what?"

"Prim probably has something in mind."

The pair of them made their way over to Prim.

"What's next?" Peeta asked Prim.

Prim handed him a box of small houses. "You can put those under the tree." To Katniss, she gave her a box little people. "We don't want to have a lonely town."

Katniss to the little people and joined Peeta under the tree. Together they made the small village. With their lights on, the houses made Katniss think about all the happy people this Christmas. However, there was on little house that had the lights burnt out. She frowned. Maybe that house had just lost someone to the Hunger Games.

"What are we going to do about that one?" Peeta asked, pointing to the unlit house.

Katniss put a little person and a child close to it. "We will give it hope."

Peeta smiled and put his hand over the hers. "I like that."

Katniss nodded as she crawled out from underneath the tree.

"Katniss," Peeta said.

"Hum?" Katniss turned to look at him.

Peeta pointed above them. "Mistletoe."

Katniss rolled her eyes. "Prim."

Peeta laughed. "Do you know what it means?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Katniss could see Gale glaring at them. "Yes."

Peeta leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. "Merry Christmas, Girl on Fire."

"Merry Christmas, Peeta," Katniss whispered.

**Happy holidays! I know it's not the greatest, but I wanted to write another Hunger Games fanfiction. Thanks for reading. **


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